Ave Maria Catholic School

If I could give this school Zero stars, I would. There are some decent teachers at this school but as other parents have mentioned, the principal at this school is poor at setting an expectations for communication while also being too inefficient and ineffective. She is not a leader. It is the only school my kids have attended where the teachers are arriving and leaving when carline drop off is happening. I do hope the clergy at Ave Maria Catholic Church will finally take action. We need decent Catholic education choices in Douglas County and Ave Maria does not provide what we need. The building is adequate and there are good teachers. But the administration seems to leave parents in the dark and there seems to be no desire for this school to attempt to be excellent.
—Submitted by a parent

Ave Maria is a wonderful school! It is an environment where my children have continued to learn and thrive in. My oldest is a recent graduate of Ave. She now attends Regis Jesuit High School where she is ranked in the top 10% of her class which I attribute greatly to her education at Ave Maria. The teachers and administration at Ave are amazing and truly care about their students. My kids are all known on a first name basis even by teachers they never had. I have seen Ave really prosper over the last 5 years which is when our current principal started . Ave Maria continues to grow bigger and better every year. It is a great school and community.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is one of the most unfriendly places for families,odd since it is a school. The admin inacts policies like closed practices for all sports, with NO explanation. You as a parent, are not allowed to monitor what is going on while YOUR child is practicing! They have started renting out the gym to adult league teams during the practice times of the school children. This has forced the kids to go and pay for other places to practice. A second road was created over the summer with the intention of helping with the massive congestion during car line. The problem again, with no explanation, you have to have a child or children in 4th grade and up to use the road/drop off in that location. So if you have 1 child in 4 th grade and another in 2nd, you could go through car line twice, we all have time for that in the morning don't we! You could use the original line for both kids and wait 15mins everyday just to get through. While the new road/drop off is under used because it is off limits to more than half the school. This admin is equally unfriendly and not open to suggestion for improvement in ANY area! All this frustration and you haven't even entered the school.
—Submitted by a parent

My child was evaluated for a first grade spot. He has done well in a private kindergarten setting and his teacher feels he is ready for first grade. He had an "assessment" for readiness for first grade (for $150) and we were told he was right at the borderline for readiness with a score of 61 (even though it is only February of his Kindergarten year). We were told that they spoke to his current teacher and everyone was in agreement that he is not ready for first grade, although the teacher told us he would be bored if he had to repeat kindergarten. He was turned down for any spot at the school, including kindergarten which they said was "full". I feel the manner that this was done ( in conflict with his current teacher's opinion) and the $150 charge to be told he cannot attend the school was not in keeping with the spirit of Catholic education. I guess someone who does not meet their "high academic standards" is not welcome at this school. Does not seem to meet the catholic tradition.
—Submitted by a parent

Our family has attend Ave for a couple years. Having to move on short notice from out of state, left little time to invetigate schools. Our children have always attended Catholic school. We will not be returning to Ave next year. Most of the problems at this school stem from the administration. They are unprofessional and completely disorganized. Parents are given little information as to the daily activities and running of the school. The information that is given is more often than not, incomplete and at the last minute. Their tution is the highest in the area and Ave has the least to offer. Ave has minimal clubs and activities. Every other week has some sort of fundraising and parents are never told or see where the money goes. The classrooms with computers are out of date or broken. You pay large fees (like for books) at this school on top of the regular tution, yet many classes have NO books. Please take the time and really research the school you plan on going to. Any Catholic school should be getting better reviews than the surrounding public schools. We have been absolutley disappointed!
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children that attend Ave Maria. I am not only impressed with the curriculum but also the community feel of the school. The academics are excellent. The teachers are incredible and all of the students, staff and parents are compassionate and invested. I feel good about knowing my children are going to be educated academically and also in a faith filled environment. I want my children to grow into wonderful people and be prepared for the real world. I know my children are in good hands at Ave Maria Catholic school and off to a great start in preparing them for their future.
—Submitted by a parent

There is nothing at this school that justifies a tuition let alone one over $5,000. This school has some WONDERFUL teachers and some that have no right working with children. If you are wanting a Catholic education, look elsewhere! There is little to NO faith formation done at this school. There is also an obvious friction between the school and parish. The administration chooses to ignore extensive problems like bullying. Save your money and go to your neighborhood public school, you will have the same experience for free.
—Submitted by a parent

I attended Ave Maria for 9 years and in 2010, I continued onto Regis Jesuit after being accepted with distinction. During my time at Ave I made some of the best friends anyone could ask for. Even a year after continuing, we are still close. In addition, Ave prepared me for the academic workload and and the high expectations at Regis. The teachers at Ave are exceptional and their enthusiasm is contagious. The material they taught was challenging without being cumbersome. The uniform code seems strict, but in reality it simplifies mornings and it helps us to look past superficial things like clothing. Overall, my time at Ave Maria was incredible and I wouldn't have traded it for the world.

Our daughter transferred there starting in 6th grade. They had concerns that she wouldn't keep up coming over from the public schools (where she got acceptable grades) and due to the fact that she is dyslexic. She has access to accomodations due to her learning disability, but rarely has to take advantage of them. She has absolutely excelled at Ave Maria, consistently getting straight A's even with their stringent grading scale. It is not without hardwork, though. I don't understand the comments I've read about no homework, as she works very hard in and out of the classroom. It has been a great environment. The girls all get along with no cliques or pettiness. They support each other in athletics, whether they make a good play or a bad one. We're very happy we chose Ave over the public school system for middle school.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has attended Ave Maria since 2008. We started Kindergarten there and she is in the second grade now. We have had problems at this school. I feel there is too loose an administration and it runs like a sorority house. The parents of the students are amazing, and keep the school moving forward. But, there is a lack of interest in seeing their students grow. I sent my child to Ave Maria with the hopes of having her in a loving and nurturing environment for education and growth. Ave Maria runs no different than any run of the mill public school. I am transferring my child out of Ave Maria after the end of this school year. We are considering either Trinity Lutheran, or Highland's Ranch Christian.
—Submitted by a parent

This is our 3rd year at Ave Maria and I have to say we are pleased with the education and recent implementation of the Core Knowledge Curriculum. The PreK and elementary programs are separate. However, we found the PreK , with a all day, everyday option to be a wonderful program for our child and a good way to transition from PreK to Kinder. The staff are very professional, skilled, caring and spiritual people. As with all Catholic Schools it is not for every child/family, the academics are accelerated and homework is expected. Do not expect a Spanish program (fluency), a special needs or a gifted and talented program. There is religion. Bottom line is that the school is still small enough that it is a family. Students can attend there K-8 until most of them (95%) move onto Regis, Mullen, or Valor. This is good enough proof for us that the children are learning beyond counterparts. Our child loves it too and the majority of parents have the same values regarding education, religion and school involvement (those that don't write negative reviews and leave). Discipline problems are at a minimum. Parents are all expected to volunteer.
—Submitted by a parent

I am so impressed with Ave Maria! The teachers are so professional and caring. Many of the teachers send their own children to school there and they still have to pay the tution. It is a real community environment with strong academic standards. Also, I'm so excited that they have implemented the Core Knowledge curriculum.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has grown so much since opening 10 years ago. There are a few exceptions, but in general the teachers are outstanding...both from a caring and instructional perspective. The facilities are improving with the construction of a gym. Parent involvement is incredible. Teachers are able to teach because they aren't spending all their time disciplining students. The school also just adopted the Core Knowledge curriculum.
—Submitted by a parent

The staff is absolutely fantastic. We have have 5 children in this school and have been there for several years now. The development of our children year over year has been remarkable. We came from another private school and have been impressed with the level of committment from the parents, teachers, staff and the community. We would strongly recommend this school to anyone seeking an educational environment that touches the heart, mind and soul of their children.
—Submitted by a parent

When we found out we were moving to CO, we picked where we lived based on the feeling we recieved when visiting. We are extremely happy with the quality of education our daugther is receiving. She is in middle school this year and loves her teachers. This school truly cares about the families.
—Submitted by a parent

My 2 girls love Ave Maria. They have been happy there since they started back in 2005. My oldest is in middle school there and I couldn't be happier with her environment and friends. They are my barometer on how things are going!
—Submitted by a parent

Goes well beyond expectations and provides a great community for the whole family. It's a great community because the whole family not only wants to get involved it stays involved. Many thanks to the entire staff for continuing to raise the academic bar. By the way have you seen the commitment going on behind the school? Come on over and take a look. You're going to want to get involved!
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter has been enrolled at Ave Maria since Kindergarten and is getting ready to graduate this year. We have been very satisfied, as a whole, with her education. The commitment of the teachers is outstanding and the parent involvment is amazing. My only disatisfaction has been with the Spanish program -- it really only introduces the students to basic concepts. Overall, Ave Maria is a great place to be!
—Submitted by a parent

We had a horrible experience with this school. While there are some good teachers at this school, the principal does not establish high expectations for the staff. They try to pride themselves on high standards but instead just have an accelerated grading system that requires higher scores for letter grades. At the same time, they aren't teaching more or challenging the students on material. We did have an experience with other excellent schools and we're wishing we hadn't given this school a try as it seemed like a wasted year academically for our children. Read many of the other reviews on this website as they also corroborate the poor experience at this school. There could be positive changes with a principal who cares,is engaged with what is happening, communicates on a consistent basis, and holds all teachers accountable for basic expectations. Little to no homework exists.
—Submitted by a parent

I love the preschool at AMCS! It is by far the best preschool in the area. The Director and Staff are the best! They are so caring of all the children in the program. They are always there to help a new family or returning family. I would certainly reccomend this preschool over any others in the area.
—Submitted by a parent